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About Our Foundation
Our rural and urban forests boast a vast and beautiful variety of trees and other vegetation that support a healthy urban ecosystem. The Greater Modesto Tree Foundation’s primary goal is to encourage and facilitate one of the most notable urban forests in the region. Our membership and programs are focused on helping to develop and expand rural and urban forests in Stanislaus County. To help us achieve our vision, we invite all to get involved and become a part of our efforts toward a healthy and vibrant forest community. Protecting Modesto's trees today is a promise that future generations will share in the pleasure and beauty of the trees of tomorrow. Our VisionA large, robust urban and rural forest providing benefits to the residents and visitors to each of the communities in Stanislaus County. Our MissionThe mission of the Greater Modesto Tree Foundation is to:
Benefits of Trees
Take the simple quiz below to see how many benefits you can name. 10 Questions About TreesRoll your cursor over the question to view the answer.
The most recent estimate indicated there are in excess of 115,000 publicly owned (park and street) trees in Modesto.
Modesto has in excess of 500,000 trees in total. As we discuss tree benefits, keep this total in mind. Each of these trees add to the quality of life in Modesto.
A recent study in Modesto calculated that the average street tree removes almost 4 pounds of air pollutants (ozone and nitrous oxides) per year. Across the 500,000 trees in Modesto, this may total as much as 1,790,000 pounds of pollutants that do not contribute to our significant smog problem. In addition, these trees remove particulate matter from the air.
The same study indicated that each trees net uptake of carbon dioxide is 329 pounds per year. Again, this may total 164,500,000 pounds for all the trees in Modesto.
Several studies have proven that the air temperature can be reduced from 5 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit by moving into the shade of a tree.
The reduced outside temperature has proven to reduce energy consumption by an average of $103 per household per year.
Studies have shown that a shaded street can defer slurry seal maintenance from the normal 10 year cycle for a street in full sun to a 20 25 year cycle in a fully shaded street.
Research has shown that buyers are willing to spend 3% to 7% more for properties with ample tree resources versus few or no trees.
Storm water runoff has been reduced from 2% to 7% in studies testing the impact of trees. These runoff reductions, in turn, can reduce the need for capital improvements (such as water runoff retaining basins).
The following are some additional benefits of trees:
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Since its inception in 2000, the Greater Modesto Tree Foundation, Inc. has been dedicated to the continued development and protection of the rural and urban forests in the greater Modesto area. 
Trees provide many benefits to the communities that have established a robust urban forest. A recent study performed in Modesto by by E. Gregory McPherson and other researchers from the Western Center for Urban Forest Research and Education at UC Davis revealed that Modesto’s urban forest returned $1.89 in economic benefits for every dollar spent. In the year of the study, the net benefit from Modesto’s urban forest was estimated to total more than $2 million. More importantly, the trees in the forest provide a number of direct benefits.